


Peculiar Popcorn

by Benwilson



Series: Miles Brown VS The Puckerbooty and Puppyboy [3]
Category: Rambling Wrecks
Genre: F/M, Fanfiction Twice Removed, M/M, Miles Brown loves all the people, Pre-Relationship, Story of Three Boys, and Lynn lips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-21
Updated: 2013-09-21
Packaged: 2017-12-27 04:32:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/974370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Benwilson/pseuds/Benwilson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Miles Brown gets to know Ryder Lynn in a variety of ways.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Peculiar Popcorn

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Ravingliberal and Patchfire! 
> 
> Beta'd by David_of_oz!

People are staring at Miles, when he makes his way back into the PFLAG meeting, but he pretends not to notice. Rick is talking with Ryder by the table full of food, that has the ‘red’ flavoured soup that everyone seems to agree is the best, with bread rolls and a couple of pizzas for the people who needed something more substantial.

 

Casey looked at him with confusion gesturing to the seat next to him, but Miles gave him a small shake of the head and moved over to Rick and Ryder. “So, Foots, what’s up with the pizza?”

 

“Uh… Meat Feast I think.” Rick hummed, lifting the lid. “Can’t tell if it’s a joke, or if people haven’t worked out that the tiny vegan girl isn’t here anymore.”

 

“There was a tiny vegan girl?” Ryder asked, glancing between Rick and Miles looking a little confused.

 

Miles laughed, patting his shoulder. “So, kid, do we need to have a talk about why you shouldn’t be using words like gay in the locker room, unless you mean it? Cause I’m not the PFLAG bouncer, but I got interests in this room.”

 

“No, No way man, I totally get it.” Ryder said quickly nodding. “I was running off my mouth and I didn’t think. I got nothing against gay guys.”

 

“Good.” Rick said nodding, “Cause last year, there was a guy who broke kneecaps over it. And I don’t want to have to break your kneecaps.”

 

“Yeah, I don’t want that either.” Ryder said slowly, glancing at Miles for help.

 

“Well, come join the PFLAG de-stupiding program.” Miles laughed throwing an arm around Ryder and moving him to the seats, sitting him down on the opposite side of the circle from Casey, so he could watch him, but also make sure Ryder was on the up and up before letting him near Casey. “So, you a freshman?”

 

“Sophomore.” Ryder nodded, frowning. “Transferred.”

 

“Cool, cool.” Miles nodded, pausing as he glanced around the circle where people were starting to sit with food. “Hey, stick with Foots, okay? I’m gonna go grab some food before we start.”

 

Ryder nodded, and Rick gave him a firm nod, as Alicia slid into the seat next to Rick, and introduced herself to Ryder.

 

Best be quick before she turns the kid against him already.

 

A bowl of soup, couple of bread rolls and he’s home free to fall into his seat carefully and pretend to listen as Casey and Taylor talk about… something about promiscuity. So, something Miles already probably knew all about. He tries not to think about the fact that Coach Beiste was sat on the other side of him, and Casey was having to talk about this with his guardian in the room.

 

The meeting goes pretty smoothly, and Ryder actually listens which… puts him above Miles really, at least in Casey’s eyes since he’s looking at Miles disapprovingly.

 

“Uh… why’d that guy get so much to eat, if he wasn’t going to touch it?” Ryder asked Miles awkwardly, leaning in.

 

“Huh?” Miles frowned, aware that Coach Beiste was on the other side, “What’s up with what Cherry’s eating?”

 

“Cherry?” Ryder asked, tilting his head. “The little redhead? He… uh… should I not have said anything?”

 

“Lynn, say what’s on your mind.” Coach Beiste said, giving up the pretense.

 

“He just… I had a second cousin, Johnny, who had an eating disorder. I mean, for a while. And he used to do that when he wanted people to think he was eating.” Ryder nodded, face tight.

 

There was an awkward silence as Miles turned to look at Casey, who suddenly seemed a lot smaller, and skinnier. “Coach…"

 

“I see it.” She said quietly, shaking her head. “I thought… I don’t know what I thought.”

 

“My dad says people get good at hiding it.” Ryder offered, looking really sad. “Do you have to call his parents?”

 

“Something like that.” Coach Bieste shook her head, looking heartbroken.

 

“Hey, Ryder, why don’t we go… anywhere else.” Alicia said quietly, standing up. “Daniel?”

 

“Yeah, come on.”

 

Miles just felt himself sag in his seat, staring at Casey who was laughing at something Taylor had said, the bowl of soup abandoned on the seat next to him, tissue thrown over the top.

 

“Brown… Miles, I know what you’re gonna want to do here. But I’ve got to ask you not to.” Coach Beiste said quietly, sounding defeated.

 

“Someone needs to tell Shep.”

 

“No, they don’t. He’s got college, so we’re gonna deal with this.”

 

Miles nodded slightly, frowning. “What do you want me to…”

 

“No, Brown. Me and Monty, not you. You need to… I dunno. Watch him, and that’s it, you understand? I don’t want you confronting him or anything.” Coach Beiste said, her voice gaining some strength.

 

“But Coach…”

 

“No buts, Brown. You’re seventeen. I’m not letting you take this on yourself.”

 

Miles frowned, crossing his arms, “Coach, Cherry’s my friend.”

 

“And nobody’s paying you to babysit. So, be his friend.” Coach Beiste said, standing up. “I’m going to ask Casey to come home straight after school. You… you go back to class, Miles.”

 

***

 

“I like that Ryder kid.” Alicia grinned, sitting down in the desk chair in Miles’ bedroom, and spinning a little, side to side.

 

“Seriously?” Miles asked, closing his pen between the pages of his science book and putting it aside. “That ain’t even like you pretended the door was open.”

 

“Relax, your friend here just wanted to come and see you.” She made a vague gesture in Rick’s direction, “Now, Daniel and Ryder had a nice chat about what words they should and shouldn’t use…”

 

“And he totally gets to not use gay in that way again.” Rick cut in, “I made sure.”

 

“So, I’m thinking you ask him to keep coming to PFLAG.” Alicia finished, smiling in a way that gave Miles the impression that this was a losing battle.

 

“Why?” He sighed, standing up, “Foots, you can come in. Apparently doors aren’t sacred in this house.”

 

“I just… like the guy.” Alicia shrugged, “And let’s face it, next year you’ll be gone, and the year after that, Daniel’ll be gone. We need to leave the PFLAG with at least one football player, right?”

 

“Here’s hoping.” Miles muttered moving to the window, “Okay, sweetest sister of mine, explain to me why I need to personally get involved in your scheme.”

 

“He’s cute.” Rick offered when Alicia didn’t speak. “I think… that’s what cute guys look like, right? The whole boy-next-door look?”

 

Miles rolled his eyes, but didn’t say anything for a moment, letting Rick just think about what he’d said. “Alicia? Better argument?”

 

“Because he’s already on his way here?” She said brightly, “We’re going to the movies. It’ll be fun. And Daniel’s right, he’s adorable.”

 

“So are puppies. Don’t mean I want to take them to the cinema.” Miles sighed dramatically, turning back to his sister. “I’ll play nice if you take tomorrow’s washing up.”

 

“You’ll play nice, or I’ll tell Ma.”

 

“You’ll make the deal, or I’ll tell Ma what I heard yesterday!”

 

“You heard that?” Rick asked, frowning. “I thought we were quiet.”

 

Alicia shushed him gently, glancing at Miles again. “He’s a nice kid.”

 

“Fine.” Miles grumbled, forcing down the urge to smirk. His sister wanted him to play nice? He’d show her how _nice_ he could play.

 

***

 

He waited until they got to the movie theater, because he didn’t want Alicia turning the car around halfway. He’d guilted Rick into springing for his popcorn too. It was all part of his evil plan.

 

“So, Ryder, what did you think of the meeting?” Alicia asked with a small smile. “I thought it was very informative.”

 

“I guess so. I kind of already knew the whole thing about stereotypes being wrong, though. I had a cousin who was gay, and he wasn’t promiscuous. Some of our cousins used to joke he’d be a virgin forever, you know?” Ryder shrugged, smiling at Alicia brightly.

 

“You seem close to your family?” She carried on, as they took a step forward in the line for tickets.

 

“Yeah, all my moms sisters wanted their kids to grow up with brothers and sisters, but everyone only seems to have one. So… cousins are always around.” Ryder said nodding, “What about you?”

 

“Not many of them.” Alicia shrugged, “I just got stuck with this brute.”

 

“Sticks and stones, Alicia.” Miles hummed, from behind the rest, casually checking Ryder out. He could work with that, definitely. Wouldn’t even be that much of a chore.

 

“Hmm, I don’t think we should all rush the ticket booth at once.” Alicia said, breaking Miles out of his thoughts. “Me and Daniel’ll get ours, and then you two, hmm?”

 

“Yeah, sure.” Ryder grinned at Miles, reaching into his pocket. “I totally got this.”

 

“I like it when a guy can take care of me.” Miles grinned sidling up next to Ryder. Alicia rolled her eyes as she and Rick stepped forward. “Foots, don’t you go forgetting my popcorn.”

 

“Why’d you call him that?” Ryder asked curiously, as he retrieved his money, his free hand stuffed casually into his pocket.

 

“Foots? It’s just what I call him.”

 

“So is he like… Rick Footerman or something?”

 

“No, he’s Daniel Rickenbacker.” Miles rolled his eyes, “What? You always go out with guys you don’t know the last name of?”

 

“I’m just trying to do what Coach said, and be ‘social’.” Ryder said, using the hand with the money to make some very awkward air quotes.

 

“She’s just all alive with motherly instinct since she took Cherry in.”

 

He snorted to himself, but Ryder didn’t seem to get the joke. “Cherry?”

 

“Casey.”

 

“Still got nothing here.”

 

“The red-head you ratted out.” Miles said.

 

Ryder shrugged, “Hey, it’s better that someone did, rather than let it get further. My cousin moved onto purging next, and that isn’t a great stage.”

 

Miles sighed, shaking his head. “I don’t want to talk about this, ’kay? Let’s… talk about something else.”

 

“Okay.” Ryder nodded, “So… d’you think the football team’s got a chance this year?”

 

“Honestly?” He asked, tilting his head. “I’m not sure. We lost Shep, Hudson and the glee club guys, and a few others. I mean, we still got good players but…”

 

“No, I totally get it. And you’ve got newbies like me who you’ve got to get used to.” Ryder shrugged, “You sound like you’ve got a lot of nicknames for people. When do I get one?”

 

“Lemme see…" Miles looked Ryder over, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Pup.”

 

“Pup?”

 

“Short for Puppy. Quick rule, you start shedding on me, and I’m kicking your ass to the curb.” Miles grinned, at the boys confused expression, “What?”

 

“Why am I a puppy?”

 

“You’re annoyingly earnest looking. And you’re so damn enthusiastic, which I’m not saying is a bad thing, but… yeah. Definite puppy qualities.”

 

“Maybe you need a nickname too then.” Ryder said grinning.

 

“Try it. Lot’s of people have. They all failed.”

 

Ryder started a response, but the guy at the ticket booth called “next” and Miles just nodded Ryder forward, leaning against the ledge and watching Alicia, watching him, with a raised eyebrow. She copied the motion, muttered something to Rick, who gave him a big thumbs up and then moved to the snacks counter.

 

“Here’s your ticket.” Ryder said handing Miles the piece of paper. “I’m gonna just duck into the bathroom. Meet you inside?”

 

“Yeah, okay.” Miles grinned winningly. “Don’t get lost, Pup.”

 

Ryder sighed, dramatically. “I brought this on myself.”

 

“And don’t you forget it, Pup.”

 

***

 

“Miles Brown!” Alicia hissed just after they waved goodbye to Rick and Ryder on the front porch step, dragging him inside the house and fixing him with a long glare. “You terrified that poor boy!”

 

“I did nothing of the kind!” Miles grinned, moving past her to flop on the couch.

 

“You spilt popcorn on his crotch, and then ate it from there! I thought he was going to burn up, with that blush!”

 

“Hey, you told me to play nice.” Miles hummed, turning on the TV. “Pup didn’t seem to mind.”

 

Alicia’s hands twitched at her side, “Couldn’t you at least have gotten to know him first?”

 

“I got to know him! I know he plays football, and he’s got a lot of cousins.” Miles frowned as she dropped onto the other side of the couch, staring at him. “And… he puts M&Ms in his popcorn!” He added, grinning as he remembered that small detail. He’d been paying attention.

 

“Wow,” Alicia said dryly, rolling her eyes, “Are you going to write his autobiography next?”

 

Miles flipped her off quietly, after glancing around to make sure his Ma wouldn’t see.

 

“Tim’s having a party soon, I was thinking of inviting him.” She continued, pointedly ignoring the finger. “What do you think of that?”

 

“Sure. Pup’s good fun.” Miles shrugged to himself, as he flicked over to a football game. “We done.”

 

“…You know, I try to do a nice thing…"

 

“Are you admitting this is a plot, sweet sister of mine?” He asked, a small grin blossoming as he took in her torn expression.

 

“… Remember, you break it, you bought it, Miles.” She finally said, standing up and brushing off her clothes. “And you’ve still got that science work to do.”

 

 


End file.
